“I always say it, kind of as a joke, that I have short a memory and champions have short memories, but I don’t worry about things too long after they happen,” Porzingis said. “I try to move on, and it was similar with the injury."

Porzingis, who could miss all of the 2018-19 season as well, has been rehabbing in Madrid at the facilities of Real Madrid, the prominent Spanish soccer club.

“The main reason why I wanted to be here in Madrid, was to be able to use the Real Madrid facilities, which are one of the best in the world, if not the best,” Porzingis said. “Here we have everything we need. I have my family to take care of me. I have a good team around me, and obviously living here, I cannot be complaining.”

Recovering from a knee surgery of this magnitude can be a grueling process, and Porzingis talked about managing his workload.

“It’s all about balance," he said. "I can be a soldier, and I’ve done that. I’ve been a soldier, and I just keep doing the work ... and then at one point, you just feel like you have no energy left. You are just killing yourself mentally, and the mental part is so important.”

To help balance the physical demands of the rehab process, Porzingis has begun doing yoga to promote his mental health.

“I just kind of wanted to disconnect my mind and be solely focused on what I need to do, all those postures and just focus on the breathing," Porzingis said. “That one hour after every time I leave yoga, it’s like a fresh beginning. I’ve been disconnected, like no phone, no thinking about basketball or thinking about the injury or the leg.”

Porzingis who was selected to his first All-Star Game just before suffering the injury, spoke about his ambitions moving forward in the league.

“I want to be the MVP of the league one day," he said. "I want to be a Defensive Player of the Year. All those things remain as my goals. If you have enough confidence in yourself and that you are going to work and try to be the best player you can be, then why would you be afraid of the negativity or the adversity?

“Keep working, keep getting better and that way the real moment of joy, being back on the court and enjoying the game will come sooner.”